Apparatus and process for burning acetylene or similar gases.



No. 878,461. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. J. HARRIS. APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR BURNING AUETYLENE OR SIMILAR GASES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8.1907.

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JOHN HARRIS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HARRIS U CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR BURNING ACETYLENE OR SIMILAR GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedFeb. 4, 1908.

Application filed April 8.1907- Serial No. 366.916.

'of the United States, residing at Cleveland.

in the county of (uyahoga and State of, Ohio, have invented a certain new and use- 7 ful Improvement in Apparatus and Process for Burning Acetylene or Similar Gases, of 1 which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. Myinvention relates to an apparatus and 5 a process for the burning of acetylene or other gases rich in carbon such as benzene or Z other polymers of acetylene, with ordinary atmospheric air as distinguished from oxyen, and has for its object to produce a ame of intense calorific power by the combustion of such gases and ordinary utmosheric air without liability of the flame to blow out or die out by the pressure of the air which is supplied to the gas.

In carrying out my process, I mingle air and gas thoroughly in a mixing tube and 1 ignite the mixture at the outlet end of said j tube in the manner described in my'Patent No. 853,634 issued May 14. 1907. The ex- 1 panded burning mixture; is prevented from dying away or blowing out as the air pressure is increased in the manner described in said application. As an improvement over the process disclosed in the aforesaid applica-}' tion, I introduce a supply of oxygen at the tion of the mixture of air and gas in such manner as to increase the intensity of the I' flame and render the adherence of the same to the end of the mixing tube even more effectual than in the case of the construction 1' shown in my aforesaid application.

I carry out the process in a novelfornr of blowpipe, also constituting a part of my in- 1 vention, whereby I am ienabled to produe a flame having not only the intense heating qualities of the flame producedby the blowpipe described iii-my aforesaid application, I

ut whereby I am enabled at will to shorten i and concentrate such flame and produce therefrom eater thermal effects than can be realizedT y the former blow-pipe.

Generally speaking, the invention may be defined as consisting of the combinations of steps and elements embodied in the claims hereto annexed. I

In the drawings forming part hereof, Fig- I are 1 represents a longitudinal sectional view 1 I said tube.

taken through a blow-pipe constructed in accordance with my invention, the connections for supplying air, gas and oxygen thereto be,

mg shown in elevation: Fig. '2 represents a front elevation of said blow-pipe: and Fig. 3 represents a detail sectional view of the front or discharge end of the blow-pipe, indicating the manner in which the flame is supplied with oxygen and the general form of the i flame when thus supplied.

Describing the parts by reference characters, 1 represents the blow-pipe generally, the same consisting prefcrablypf a tubular body having an enlarged rear portion 2 carrying at its front end an elongated mixing tube 3. The enlarged rear portion is provided with a corresponding enlarged bore or chamber 4 having an internal thread and the tube 3 is provided with a relatively smaller bore 5.

The discharge end of mixing tube 3 is pro-- vided with an enlarged hood 6, which is preferably threaded onto the front or discharge end of said tube. A shoulder 7 connects the rear portion 2 with the tube 3, the inner surface of said shoulder being generally frustoconical in contour. The hood 6 is provided with a shoulder R, the inner surface whereof is generally frusto-conical, the arrangementbeing such that when the hood is in proper relation to the end of the mixing tube, the frusto-conical surface 9 forms substantially an unbroken extension of the front end of The front end of shoulder 7 and the rear portion of hood 6 are provided respectivcly with ledges 10 and 11, the outer surfaces whereof are substantially equidistant from the outer surface of the mixing tube. The ledge 11 is provided with a plurality of small ports 12 extending therethrough and inclined toward the axis of the mixing tube 3. 7

l3 denotes a sleeve which surrounds the mixing tube 3 with the rear end thereof fitting ledge lt) and the front end thereof fitting ledge 11. In assembling, the sleeve 13 is slipped over the tube 3 and ledge 10. The hood 6 is then threaded onto the outer end of mixing tube 3 and said sleeve is firmly clamped between the front and rear vertical faces of shoulders 7 and 8 respectively. The sleeve 13 is provided with a hollow boss 13 to which is secured the end of the tubular connection 14 through which oxygen is supplied to the annular space orpassageway between tube 3 and sleeve 13. The plug 15 ALORIFIC COMPANY, OF

space between tube 3' and sleeve 12.

is threaded into the chamber 4, said plug bet ing provided with suitable recesses 16 for the acctunmodation ot a wrench. The front of this plug is generally conical in outline and its 1 end is in axial aline-mentwith the tube 3. {v adjusting said plug, the width of the port formed between the front end thereof and the rear end of tube 23 may be regulated. illug 1.3 is provided with a central passageway 17 extending therethrough in axial alinement with bore of tithe 3 and connnuni- 1 eating with the chamber formed between the rear end ol said plug and a plug 15 which closes the end of said chamber. The enlarged rear portion 3 of the blow pipe is provided with two hollow bosses It) and EU, to the l'ormer of which is secured the connec- 2 tion '31 for acetylene and to the latter ol, which is secured the connection 22 for air 1 under pressure. The connections 14, 21, and 21 extend downwardly from the blow pipe and at about the same angle and are brought close together to form a convenient hand grip for manipulating the blow pipe. A3 band 333 having collars 24, 25 and 26 is ap t plied to said connections for the purpose of preventing the proper relation between said connections and the blow-pipe from beingl l l l l disturbed.

in operation, acetylene (or other gas rich in carbon) is supplied through connection 21 into the chamber 27 which is provided in 3 front of theplug 15. tween the front end of said plug and the inner surface ol' shoulder 7 in a thin converging Air under pressure sheet into the bore a. l is supplied through connection .22 into the chamber between plugs 15 and 18 and 1 through passageway 17 into bore 5, axially thereof and centrally of the gas supplied thereto. The mixture may now be ignited j and will burn with the base of the ilame within the hood 6, the hood acting as a shield j for the base of the ilame in the manner explained in my application No. 284,596. The ilame will persist and will not die out even though the pressure of the air supplied thereto be increased to as high as one hundred pounds to the square inch, and the llame will be a long oxidizing flame, the inner end or base whereof will adhere closely to the l end of the mixing tube 3, even under the j high pressure referred to, and will not light back within the burner. This la-me i produces a very high degree of heat and has roved of great value in the industrial arts. l t frequently happens, however, that it is desirable to obtain an even greater temperature than that which can be procuredi'roln the ignition oi' the mixture of acetylene and air. j o accom )lish this result, oxygen is supplied through theconnection 14 into the annular l The oxygen flows in a number of converging jets through ports 12 into the hood 6 and strikes i at the point of ignition, making Thence it passes bethe burning gases at about the base of the tlame, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. 3 The result of admitting the oxygen in this manner and in the limited quantity which can'be supplied through the small ports 12 is j to reduce the length of the lame to about one-fourth of the length which is produced by the burning of the air and acetylene. This llame is not )ointed but is somewhat brush-shaped, as shown in Fig. 3, and, 0wing to the concentration of the combustion, the temperature of this flame is several hundred degrees higher than that produced by the burning of the acetylene and air alone. The obtaining of this increased temperature is facilitated by the fact that the pressure of the air which is supplied to the burner may be increased to double that which may be ordinarily used without dan er of the flame blowing out or dying away irom the end of the blow-pipe. By the above apparatus, 1 am enabled to carry out successfully my improved process of burning acetylene and similar gases rich in carbon without the dangerot' lighting back. There is no mixing of the oxygen with the air and acetylene within any of the passageways the burner proper as this mixing takes place it im ossible tor the mixture to lightl bac urthermore, the projecting of the acetylene in a converging sheet into the tube 3, the directing of the air under pressure centrally and axially of said sheet and of said bore 5, and the admission of the oxygen in limited quan tity at the base of the flame and in converging 'ets are believed to produce the marked results which are obtained in the operation of my blow-pipe. g

It will be understood that suitable valves (not shown) will be provided for controlling the flow of air and gases to the blow-pi e.

By the term oxygen which is emp oyed herein, I do not mean oxygen in diluted condition as it exists in air, but substantially pure oxygen, such, for instance, as is supplied to the trade in tanks.

I claim:

1. The process of burning acetylene or similar gas rich in carbon which consists in projecting said gas in a converging direction into a mixing tube, projecting air under pressure centrally of the converging gas, mingling the gas and air in said tube, permitting the mixture to expand, and admitting to such expanded mixture, beyond the end of the mlxing tube, a relativelyliniited or ducts of mixing tube, igniting the mixture, and sup- I plying to the base of the flame thus produced oxygen in a limited quantity, substantially as specified.

3. The process of burning acetylene which consists in mingling acetylene with air under pressure in a mixing tube, permitting the 5 mixture to expand within a chamber, and projecting oxygen in a series of converging jets into said mixture, substantially as specitied. a

'4. The process of burning acetylene which consists in mingling acetylene with air under pressure in a mixing tube, permitting-the mixture to expand within a chamber, igniting the mixture, and projecting oxygen in a converging direction into the base of the flame.

5. The process of burning acetylene or similar gas rich in carbon which consists in mingling thegas with air under pressure in a mixing tube, permitting the mixture to ex pand beyond the end of the mixing tube, and supplying oxygen in limited quantity to said mixture adjacent to the outlet end of the mixingtube, substantially as specified.

6. The process of burning acetylene or similar gas rich in carbon which consists in mingling the gas with air under pressure in a mixin tube, permitting the mixture to expand egond the outer end of the mixing tube, an admitting oxygen in a converging direction to the mixtureadjacent to the outlet end of the mixing tube, substantially as specified.

7. In an apparatus for burning acetylene or similar gas, the combination of a mixing tube, means for projecting such gas into sai tube, means for pro ecting air under ressure into said tube, a chamber surroun ing the outlet in said tube, and means for supplying to said chamber one or more jets ofoxygen.

8. In an apparatus for burning acetylene, the combination of a mixing tube, means for projecting such gasinto said tube, means or projecting air under ressure into said tube, a chamber surroun ing the outlet in said tube, and means for supplying oxygen to said chamber in a series of converging jets, substantially as specified.

9. In a blow-pipe, the combination of a mixing duct, means for, supp]. .ing gas andair to said duct, a shield for t e outlet end of said duct, and means for supplying oxygen through said shield to themixture of gases jiss'uing from said duct, substantially as speci- .10. In a blow-pipe, the combinationof a mixing duct terminating in an enlarged outinto a mixing tube, sure into said tube .verging gas, permitting the mixture to ex- 4 pand beyond the outer end of the mixing let chamber, means for supplying gas and air to said duct, and means for supplying oxygen to said chamber, substantially as specified.

11. In a blow-pipe, the combination of a mixing duct terminating in an enlarged outlet chamber having a plurality of converging ports therethrough, means for supplying gas and air to said duct, and means for supplying oxygen through said ports into the said chamber, substantially as specified.

12. In a blow-pipe, the combination of a duct terminating in an enlarged outlet chamber, a sleeve surrounding said duct and forming therewith and with said chamber an annular passageway, means for supplying gas through said duct, and means for supplying oxygen to said annular passageway, there being one or more ports for permitting the flow of oxygen from the passageway into the outlet chamber, substantially as specified.

13. In a blow-pipe, the combination of a mixing duct terminating in an enlarged outlet chamber, a sleeve surrounding said duct and forming therewith and with said chamber an'annular passageway, means for supplying gas and air to said duct, and means for supplying oxygen to said. passageway, there being a plurality of inclined ports permitting the low of oxygen from the passage-way into said chamber, substantially as specified.

14. In a blowpipe, the combination of a body provided with inlets for air and gas and with a mixing duct projecting therefrom, said duct terminating in an enlarged outlet chamber having a shoulder projecting beyond the outer surface of said duct and provided withinclined ports extending therethrough, asleeve surrounding said duct and said shoulder and forming therewith an annular passageway, means for su plying air and as to said duct, and means t hr supplying uid to said passageway, substantially as specified.

15. The process of burning acetylene or similar gas rich in carbon which consists in supplying said gas in a converging direction projecting air under presand centrally of the contube, igniting said mixture, and shielding the base of the flame thus produced, substantially as specified. 3

. In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HARRIS.

Witnesses:

J. B. HULL, G. A. MYERS. 

